Ferdous Ara Begum has served as a member of the board of trustees of HelpAge International since 2016. HelpAge International is a global network of organisations that provide support to older people to claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Ms Begum is a former member of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (2007–10) and is a gender and ageing issues specialist.

As a former civil servant, she was the first woman to lead Bangladesh Television as director-general, and she was also the first female commissioner of taxes in Bangladesh. She served as a board member of the Nobel Peace Prize–winning Grameen Bank for six years. In her 32 years of continuous public service, Ms Begum has been active in educating and creating public awareness on the importance of women’s rights and has actively influenced women’s financial independence.

At present she is involved with the International Institute on Ageing (UN-Malta) and the satellite centre for the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation. Ms Begum has a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University and is chief executive of the Active Ageing and Research Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Women, Empowerment, Inspirational, Women's Health, Women's Rights, Women's Empowerment, Homelessness & Poverty, Poverty Health,